Sports News: Fall 2006
Wednesday, November 15, 2006

MORAVIAN WOMEN’S BASKETBALL SQUAD PICKED SECOND IN
COMMONWEALTH CONFERENCE PRESEASON COACHES POLL

ANNVILLE, PA --- The Moravian College women’s basketball team has been selected to finish second in the Commonwealth Conference in the 2006-7 Commonwealth Conference Preseason Poll conducted by the conference coaches released Wednesday. Moravian received 52 points and two first place votes, trailing only defending conference champion Messiah College, which garnered 56 points and six first place votes.

Head coach Mary Beth Spirk enters her 20th season at Moravian with an experienced team that has ten letterwinners and three starters returning from last year’s 21-7 squad, which made the NCAA Division III National Championship Tournament last season before falling in the first round. The Greyhounds, who have played for the Commonwealth Conference Championship the last four seasons, have received votes in the Preseason Top 25 by both D3hoops.com and the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association.

Key players within that returning nucleus include senior forward Kelly Applegate (Easton, PA/Wilson HS), who was named Commonwealth Conference Player of the Year and to the All Conference Team. Applegate was also Kodak/Women’s Basketball Coaches Association All-America Basketball Team Honorable Mention and Honorable Mention All-American from Women’s DIII News. Applegate, who was also named to the ECAC Division III South All-Star First Team, led the Greyhounds in points and rebounds with 19.1 points per game and 7.6 rebounds per game. She also had 43 steals, 37 assists, 26 blocked shots and five three pointers. Before the 2006-07 season began, Applegate has named to the D3hoops.com Preseason All-America Fourth Team and a Preseason All-American by Women's DIII News.

Also back is senior forward Jenny Hackleman (Arroyo Grande, CA/Rutgers Prep [NJ] HS), who averaged 10.5 points and 5.9 rebounds each game. She also added 51 assists, 44 steals and a team high 30 blocks. Classmate guard Katie Rizman (Wall, NJ/St. Rose HS) contributed 5.8 points and 2.4 rebounds per game, along with 60 assists, 38 steals, eight blocks and 19 three-pointers.

Other returnees include sophomore forward Rachelle Elneus (Easton, PA/Notre Dame HS), who contributed 56 points, 32 rebounds, five assists, and five steals while junior guard La'Toya Blake (Allentown, PA/Dieruff HS) scored 53 points. Blake added 62 rebounds, 39 assists, two blocks and a team high 63 steals, and junior guard Megan Kocon (Bethlehem, PA/Liberty HS) added 21 points, one rebound, two assists and two steals. Elneus and Blake will both be expected to make a large contribution to the Greyhounds’ success this season.

Sophomore forward Cody Fedorishen (Nazareth, PA/Allentown Central Catholic HS) had 11 points, 15 rebounds and three assists while senior guard Kristina Adams (Belle Mead, NJ/Montgomery HS) had 12 points, three rebounds, five assists and four steals in her first year with the team. Sophomore guard Lindsey Williams (Kingston, PA/Bishop O’Reilly HS) had two points and one rebound while junior guard Tina Moll (Kintnersville, PA/Palisades HS) had three points, three rebounds, two assists, and one steal before an injury put her out for the season.

Key players in this years freshman class include Kirsty Sterns (East Norwich, NY/Oyster Bay HS), a 6’1 post player who Spirk expects to impact the team immediately, and 5’7 Jessica Foran (Annandale, NJ/Rutgers Prep HS) at guard. Freshman forward Alyssa Bisci (Easton, PA/Easton HS) and freshman guard Kate Harrison (Cold Spring Harbor, NY/Cold Spring Harbor HS) are also expected to see playing time.

The Greyhounds begin the 2006-07 season at the Johns Hopkins University Tip-Off Tournament in Baltimore on Saturday, November 18th versus Ferrum (VA) College.

 

2006-07 Commonwealth Conference Women’s Basketball Preseason Coaches Poll

Rank School (first-place votes) Points
1. Messiah College (6) 56
2. Moravian College (2) 52
3. Susquehanna University 42
4. Albright College

36

5. Lebanon Valley College 28
6. Juniata College 27
7. Widener University 23
8. Elizabethtown College 16